I'd Wish you'd Listen
by PercyJacksonLover14
Summary: Tony and Pepper have dating for over a year. Never once have they told each other how much they loved each other. It was true, but they never could admit it. Now... someone was out to get her. Will Tony or Pepper ever tell how much they loved each other?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Okay! This is a story that xXSimplySunshineXx requested! I finally am going to write all the stories that everyone wanted me to write! If y'all have some requests or ideas don't hesitate to PM me or mention it in the review! Okay here it goes! **

** xXSimplySunshineXx, I hope you like it! Sorry I haven't PMed you in a while! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing… Nothing at all.**

"Tony?" Pepper asked. She was sitting by Tony, her legs curled up to her stomach, and her head on his chest. She was drawing patterns on his shirt by his stomach.

"Yeah Pepper?" said Tony. He held her shoulders as the movie blared in front of them. They met up at the armory for a date. They have been going out for a long time now, actually about a couple of years. But never once have they actually told each other the "L" word.

"Nothing." She mumbled. There was obviously something bothering her. She never was this quiet. Usually she would be complaining about the movie or something, but now she was just bored.

Tony sat up, Pepper's head fell from his chest. He turned to her and placed his forearms on his knees. "What's wrong?" He normally wasn't the talking type. He never truly liked talking about his feelings, but with Pepper he was ready to do just about anything. As long as she was happy.

"Nothing… Really. I just…" She was about to say something. But then, she just shut her mouth. Tony came closer to her and placed his hand on her hand.

"Pepper. You know you can tell me anything. Anything." Tony said gently. He was going in to kiss her cheek, she turned away and got up. Tony just watched her get up. He got up and followed her.

"Pepper." He watched her. She turned to him. She was biting her lip, and without a word she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pulled closer on him, digging her head into his chest.

"Oh Tony…" She said.

"Pepper! Pepper what's gotten into you." He gently pulled her arms away from his waist and smiled down at her.

"Tony… I… I" Pepper began. But suddenly, the armory bleeped red, engulfing the room in a red light.

"Wait Pepper. Tell me after this stupid villain is gone." Tony ran up to his Mark three suit and flew out, waving once in goodbye. Pepper was left alone staring out at the empty gap in the roof where Tony just left.

"Oh Tony."

….

It was a robber. He happened to have a high tech gun, something that gave Tony a little trouble. "Stay down dude in the black… uh… yeah. BEWARE I'M IRON MAN!" Tony cried shooting a repulsor beam at the robber. The robber dove to the side and shot once.

"You can be Iron Man! YOU CAN BE WHOEVER! I am RobGob! Half robber and half…" He suddenly morphed into a slimy green glob.

Tony finished the sentence. "Mutant." This would make it difficult. Mutants normally can keep themselves away from harm. And especially this glob monster, he could most definitely heal himself. Tony tried to shoot him again, but in vain.

"Ha! You'll never ever get me!" With a supreme evil laugh, the mutant disappeared into a water drain. Tony flew to the ground and walked up to the drain. Peering in, he sighed and stood up. He glanced at the citizens who gathered around him. A little girl held a teddy bear and was fearfully looking down into the drain.

"Will he hurt us Mr. Iron Man sir?" She asked quietly. Tony kneeled and took the little girls shoulders. Behind his mask, Tony was smiling.

"As long as I'm here, I promise nothing will ever happen to you or the rest of the city." The little girl smiled. "But remember. This teddy bear will keep you safe." Tony patted her cheek, stood, and flew up into the sky.

It was a long journey back to the armory. Well, that was only because Tony's mind was swimming. Pepper was acting strange for some reason. She wanted nothing to do with him first, and then suddenly she was tightly holding him around the waist. No doubt he loved her hugging him, but it was sudden. Tony shivered involuntarily. He shoved that thought aside as he steered the armor down into the armory. The suit slowly entered into the small cubby that held the armor.

As he got out, he stretched, winching. The robber did a number on him. He could feel a bruise growing in the middle of his back, and in between his shoulder blades. "Pepper?" He looked around the room. She wasn't there.

He then looked in the places Pepper loved hanging out the most: the couch, the medical room, even the spinning chair. She wasn't there. Tony whipped out his phone and dialed up Pepper.

It went to voicemail.

That scared him the most. "Pepper! PEPPER! This isn't funny! PICK UP!" Tony ended the call. He redialed. Someone picked up the first call. He could hear some whimpering in the background.

"Hello? Hello who is this?" tony yelled into the phone.

"You want your girlfriend back? Come find me. You know exactly who I am." The voice said. Sure enough, Tony recognized the voice. He would know that voice from anywhere. "Your girlfriend would like something to say." Tony didn't respond.

"TONY! DON'T DON'T! TONY! IT'S-" She cried out. Tony gritted his teeth.

"Don't hurt her. Gene don't hurt her."

"You have twenty-four hours." And the only thing Tony heard was Pepper screaming.

**This may not be like what you wanted xXSimplySunshineXx, but I promise you it will end up like it! **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: IWUL

**And here is the next chapter! OMG! Guys, thank you so much for all those reviews! And thank you, mysterious followers who both followed and favorite this story! I was beyond happy, much more than happy really. Thank you! **

**Disclaimer: It almost made it to my hands, but someone else took it…. **

Pepper sat quietly on the floor. Maybe it wasn't exactly the most intelligent idea to leave the armory while Tony was fighting. She should've kept an eye on him, but the hurt and misery overwhelmed her. She was just so close to saying the "L" word that never seemed to escape either of their lips.

In fact, she made a face and pinched her index and thumb together. She was _that_ close. "Me and my bad timing." She mumbled crossing her arms across her chest. Pepper was in a strange basement. There were steel bars that crossed, making it look like a trapdoor above. That was her only source of light in the cold, damp basement. She fumbled with her small purse, and dumped out its contents.

"Keys? No. Lipstick? No. Oh! There's my lip-gloss. YES! PHONE!" Pepper silently squealed and threw open the lid of the flip phone. She swore, there was no reception.

So, to pass the time, she managed to beat every game on her little phone. If it were Tony's she wouldn't have to worry about no reception. Tony's handy-dandy phone came with its own reception, so he could call from anywhere at anytime. "Lucky duck. Couldn't he at least think of making one for me? Well, I'm not the one talking…" Pepper mumbled.

Suddenly, there was a jingle from above. Pepper shielded her eyes and watched as a dark silhouette looked down at her. "Pepper." It said.

Pepper scowled. "Gene." She paused. "What do you want with me?" It came out harsh that was all Gene would be hearing from here on out. If there was one thing Pepper wouldn't be doing, it was being soft with him.

It was her walk from the armory, that Gene caught her. He poofed up right in front of her and was as The Mandarin. His rings were set ablaze, ready to caste any needed enchantment to take her away. Pepper had screamed, and tried running back, but one of Gene's eight rings blazed to life and silenced her. She fell into his arms, and that was it. She woke up in the basement cell of the Mandarin's mansion.

"My dearest Pepper, surely you know what I want." Gene teased, smiling down at her. His eyes glowed darkly, letting out a dark sense of humor. He leaned against the bars, smirking.

"Don't you ever call me dearest! I hate you, I hope you know that. I _HATE_ YOU! Tony will come and save me, he'll find me and beat the living daylights out of-"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?!" Gene shouted frustrated. He activated a ring and teleported directly in front of her. Pepper scrambled to her and pressed her back against the cool concrete wall. Gene threw his hand out, and wrapped his smooth hands around her throat, squeezing without mercy. Pepper choked, clawing helplessly at his bronze tinted hands. Gene ended up using his other hand to pin her two hands above her head. He leaned in very close to her. "Tony won't be here. You hear me? I called him on your phone while you were—sleeping." Gene looked down at her and looked back into her eyes. Pepper blushed.

"Tony will come and get me. I know he will." Pepper choked out quietly. Gene sighed and looked away from her. Then very suddenly, he slapped her roughly across the cheek, then he proceeded to pin her arms up again.

"You won't. He'll end up dying before reaching you. My security has been tripled." Gene added with a smirk.

"I'm flattered that you put all those thugs out there for me. But you don't know Tony like I do." Pepper choked out. Gene gave another hard squeeze before letting her go. Pepper fell to the ground.

"You're as stubborn as I imagined, Potts. I like that. You know why I kidnapped you?" He asked. Pepper shook her head.

"I want Tony to know I took something important from him. Just as he took, well previously took, my rings." Gene changed into The Mandarin. "Something that is valuable to him."

…

Tony was completely frantic. He ran around the armory, checking all the computers fro any sign of his girlfriend. He was, almost, close to tears. His heart ached from the rapid beating and his ribs hurt from running a wall from fear.

"Come on Pepper. Where are you?" Suddenly one of his fourteen computers beeped. Tony never felt so relieved. It was as though God had showered him with mountains of chocolate. He ran up to the computer, his heart pounding so hard he was afraid he would faint. He leaned against he computer, hoping to catch his breath.

"Please let it be Pepper. Computer, answer that and I promise you that you'll be donated to a community college." Tony shouted at this computer.

"Yes sir." The computer responded in its monotone voice. Tony face palmed. But, he didn't have the time to argue with his logical machine. He quickly scanned the computer screen and groaned. It was RobGlob. Instantly, fury rose inside Tony like an erupting volcano. His vision flooded in red, and in anger, he swept his hand across the holographic computer screen. If that stupid mutant hadn't interrupted the chat he and Pepper were having, this wouldn't have happened.

As he suited up, allowing the armor to engulf him, he tried remembering that chat. Pepper was about to say something. But what? She never acted this way around him before. They dated for so long, and had many dates together. But never once had she hugged him so vigorously, or avoided a kiss. She liked him, and he liked her. It was supposed to be that simple, right?

By the time Tony arrived to the scne of the crime, RobGlob was making a run for it. "Oh no you don't." Tony muttered. He quickly pulled out an invention he had made ages ago, and threw it towards the slimy mutant. The instant the invention hit RobGlob, it exploded into a bright blue light. Once the light subsided, Tony pushed towards the newly light box in the middle of the Manhattan streets. Tony laughed and picked up the container. RobGlob, uselessly, tried morphing in order to escape his cell.

"What did you do to me?" He yelled putting his hands on the box.

"Nothing. This electromagnetically created, airtight container will keep you in there. Oh and if you do happen to escape, let's just say you can't. The blue light that is flowing through the box? Yeah, it'll shock you so much you could possibly die." Tony responded coolly. There was an explosion of claps and flashes of camera light. Iron Man, absentmindedly, waved in the direction of his fans and flew into the sky.

"What, you're going to take me to jail? You know I'll get out you know." The villain teased. Tony merely laughed.

"I don't want to send you to jail just yet, Robby. I have some important questions, I want answers to. It, mind you, won't exactly be fun." Tony said, his voice suddenly darkened. RobGlob gulped.

"Look, Iron Man, don't hurt me. Just, I don't know what I did. I'm sorry…" He was interrupted.

"Computer, activate shock." The box shuddered, and RobGlob screeched, his body melting into a puddle of slime. "It's time I find where Pepper is." Tony landed his armor on the floor of the armory, and placed the box in the middle of the armory. In a few minutes RobGlob would wake up, by force if necessary. Then, the interrogation will begin.

**YAY! I had to do this chapter bit by bit because of all this stuff I had to do over summer! Summer, I thought was too relax, but all I have been doing was learning. I guess it's both good and bad…. Whatever! **

** PLEASE REVIEW! **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: IWUL

**Oh my gods! Thank you guys so much for all those reviews! I love all of y'all! Thank you so much! **** So, here we go.**

** Shout outs!**

**- SilverPedals1402: THANK YOU! Thank you so much for that sweet review! You made me smile!**

**- 3mee: Why, that's really sweet of you! Well, here is the next chapter!**

**- Guest: Of course I will! I'm so happy that you guys love it!**

**- Gene is evil! He can't treat a girl like that I know! Wow, arsenic… you're sinister! **** Type to you later too! I like how you said that! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing…**

Tony ended up waiting for RobGlob to wake up. He decided that shocking a villain while unconscious was just not right. He was supposed to be a hero, not an electrocuting person.

Tony ended up searching for Pepper. Well, more then he did before. He wouldn't leave the armory, not with RobGlob in it. For one, it was too risky to have a villain in the home base for Iron Man, and two he wanted to get those answers as soon as possible.

He heard a groan from behind him. He scrambled away from his chair and quickly went to get his armor on. It would raise too many suspicions to know that Tony Stark and Iron Man worked together.

As the armor covered him up, Tony went to get the remote, which activated the box, from the counter. "Iron Man! What? Where? When? Who?" RobGlob struggled to morph around in his box.

"You forgot how. And I'll be asking the questions, not you." Tony growled out. He was wasting precious time that could help him find Pepper. It couldn't be a coincidence that Tony had to be called out of his armory, the same time Pepper was kidnapped.

"Oh yeah? Who made you the boss around here? I'm RobGlob! I do what I want, and I don't follow anyone's… orders." He hesitated on the last word. Tony grumbled and pushed the red button. The box sprang to life, and RobGlob wailed.

"I'm pretty sure this tells you that I'm in charge." Iron Man kneeled in front of the box, his forearm resting on his knee. RobGlob's form slowly morphed back to human. He put his hands up over his head.

"Okay, okay… What do you want?" He asked. Tony smiled and stood.

"Who do you work for?"

"Why should I tell you-u-u…" RobGlob faltered when he saw Iron Man's thumb hover over the red button. "I can't tell you, he would kill me."

"I guarantee your safety if you tell me." Tony promised. He felt bad threatening a villain like this. It was hardly fair. RobGlob was defenseless, whereas he was in complete control. But he needed answers. He needed Pepper back in his arms.

RobGlob hesitated. "Gene Yuan Khan." He finally said. He choked the name out, the fear overwhelming him more than ever. Tony could see that in his eyes and the way his body tensed. RobGlob morphed back into his green slime ball and settled towards the corner of the box. He morphed back.

"Gene…?" Tony was really surprised, almost shocked. But Gene was… wasn't Gene his friend? Tony hadn't done anything wrong. He's been helping out Gene get those weird rings. Maybe Gene was mad that he didn't give him his father's ring.

"Yeah. The guy hired me to rob the bank. He told me the time and day. He even gave me the specific route I had to take to escape. I'm telling you right now Iron Man, that guy has a screw missing in his head." RobGlob said. He finally relaxed, realizing that Iron Man wouldn't do any harm to him. Well, that he knew of.

"Why do you say?" Tony asked, absentmindedly. One half of him was focused on Gene's betrayal, the other half him listening to RobGlob's explanation. He wouldn't hurt RobGlob, but his anger was rising.

"That guy just keeps saying this one thing over and over. Something like 'Tony Stark will pay.' Something like that." RobGlob tried looking for any weird movement from the red and gold armor. But, Iron Man looked liked the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz, nothing but a frozen metal.

"RobGlob? You earned your freedom." Tony said. Then to his computer he said, "Computer, release the air tight box." The computer didn't respond, but merely let the box disappear into a small square. Tony bent down and picked the metal square up. He fingered it and placed it on the counter behind him. RobGlob stood.

"Wait? You're not going to take me to jail?" He hadn't bothered to change into a slime, or _glob_, and escape. He just knew that Iron Man was just doing a job. He also knew something else. His days as a villain were over.

"No. You did the one thing I wanted. You gave me everything I needed. You're free to go. But…" he stopped RobGlob before he could go. "Here. Take this. It's a signal transmitter. In any case you're in danger, I'll be there to help you. I keep my promises. And another. Do anything bad, I'll be sure to lock you up for the rest of your life in that box." RobGlob flinched but nodded. He gingerly took the device out of Iron Man's hands and morphed into his true form. Finding a drain, he went away.

"Gene Khan." Tony said. His voice dripped pure venom.

…

Pepper groaned. Her stomach ached, begging for food. She knew that anytime she was nervous, her hunger would spike. She wanted Tony so badly. He would make her very fears disappear in a flash. She heaved in a deep sigh.

"Hey." She heard someone say. Pepper looked up and shielded her eyes from the ceiling light that poured in through the bars above her.

"What now?" She snapped. She didn't want to talk to him, much less be near him, but she knew Gene well enough. Gene would keep pestering her until she would answer.

"I got you something. Dinner." Gene shook a McDonald paper bag in front of him. He pushed the bag through the bars and let the bag drop into Pepper's lap. "Bon appetite."

Pepper scrambled up to her feet. "Wait! GENE!" He popped up in her view again.

"Yes?" It was exaggerated. Pepper debated whether or not she should ask the question. She was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"When will you let me go?" She asked. She looked at his face, waiting for an answer. She only received a bark of laughter.

"Not until Tony dies Pepper. The moment his blood is spilled on the floor, your freedom will be given to you. You have my word." He asked, his expression suddenly stern.

"What? You're not serious! Tony trusts you! He trusts you like a friend! How could you?" She had to buy some time, hopefully get Gene to break and let her go earlier, before Tony's blood will be spilled.

"Ha! I just needed Tony for the rings. I don't trust him anymore. Tony will soon begin suspecting my true intentions with the rings. And I can't let that happen. But you will be free. Don't worry. I'll treat you well, but you are still held hostage." Gene said. He leaned into the bars.

"Wonderful. And what are your intentions?" Pepper asked, once more fearing the answer.

"To make you my queen. And crush Tony's lover boy heart."

…

Now that Tony had all the information he needed, he sent out a message to Rhodey. If anything happened to him, which he was guaranteed would happen, he was going to make sure that Rhodey would know not to look for him. Last thing he needed was for Rhodey to be in danger like Pepper.

"Computer, maim anyone who comes into the armory that is not Rhodey, Pepper, and to be safe, Roberta." Tony said.

_"Noted."_ The computer responded. With a deep inhale of the last bit of clean air he could think of, Tony shot through the ceiling.

It was about time he got Pepper back.

**Sorry about the cliffhanger! Please REVIEW! Y'all are awesome even if you don't! And so sorry for the short chapter! **


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